Bomb kills 22 members of armed groups in Afghanistan

Heyatullah Amiri, district administrative chief of Khan Abad district, said a suicide bomber on foot targeted a meeting of criminal groups late on Saturday.

Separately, a wave of attacks on the Afghan army and police and US special forces in Kabul killed at least 50 people and wounded hundreds.

On Friday, a suicide attacker struck near the Kabul police academy, killing at least 20 cadets and wounding 27 others, according to Afghan officials.

They were the first major attacks since Mullah Akhtar Mansour was named as the new Taliban chief last week in an acrimonious power transition after the insurgents confirmed the death of long-time leader Mullah Omar.

The militia members killed in the attack at a fuel station included four men said to be key commanders. Another senior provincial official and a Khanabad district official said a total of 29 militiamen were killed.

The Taliban have stepped up assaults throughout the nation since U.S. and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces shifted from a fight to a help and coaching position on the finish of final yr.

The Taliban-led insurgency has been rampant since mid-April when the militant group launched a yearly rebel offensive against Afghan security forces.

He said President Ashraf Ghani and the people of Afghanistan recognise the role of Maulana Haq in reconciliation. Pakistan hosted the first ever face-to-face talks between representatives of the Afghan Taliban and government on July 7. The insurgents accused the three of spying, Mr Frotan said.

The UN Security Council on Sunday “condemned in the strongest terms” the series of deadly terrorist attacks in the Afghan capital of Kabul since last Thursday, and “underlined the need to bring the perpetrators of these deplorable acts to justice”.

Afghanistan’s diplomat in Pakistan met an influential cleric linked with the Taliban to discuss the ongoing peace talks between the Afghan government and the insurgent group.